Rear-window pane for convertibles

ABSTRACT

A rear-window pane of solid glass is insertable in the folding top cover of a convertible. The solid glass pane is provided with a plastic connecting element which is applied on the edge region of the solid glass pane and can be connected with the cover of the folding top by high frequency welding. With this arrangement, an additional reinforcing is no longer required and, accordingly, the advantages of a plastic window pane are combined with the longevity and stability of the glass material.

The invention relates to a rear-window pane of solid glass forconvertibles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rear-window panes of solid glass for convertibles are known. However,they require an angle frame to accommodate the material of the foldingtop and a rubber seal for the glass pane. When the top is folded down,however, only a spatially limited folding down of the folding-toppackage is possible because of the bulkiness of the angle frame, so thatthis package stands up relatively high. Therefore, in order to make itpossible to fold down the folding top package lower, the use ofrear-window panes of a flexible or transparent plastic in convertibletops is known. These have the advantage of not requiring any additionalreinforcing measures, such as angle frames or the like, since they canabsorb the tensile forces that arise in the material of the folding topwhen the latter is under tension. However, their stability is onlyslight. This is a disadvantage because they frequently have to beexchanged prematurely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide arear-window pane of solid glass, which does not require an additionalreinforcing frame and thus combines the advantages of a plastic windowpane with the longevity and stability of the material glass. At the sametime, the solid glass pane must be constructed so that there is asatisfactory seal with the covering of the folding top.

Due to the inventive combination of a solid glass pane with plasticconnecting means, which can be combined with the covering of the foldingtop by high frequency welding, the use of glass panes in rear windows ofconvertibles is possible without having to use additional reinforcingframes. The use of glass panes is desirable because they aredistinguished by a long service life and a high stability. The tensileforces arising in the stressed state of the cover can be absorbed overthe connecting elements and introduced into the glass pane. Since bulkyreinforcing frames are not required, the top of the convertible can befolded down far towards the rear. In addition, due to the absence of areinforcing frame, there is a weight advantage so that when the top isfolded back, the rear-window pane pushes through less in the downwarddirection.

The inventive refinement of the rear-window pane results in yet furtheradvantages. Due to the advantageous construction of the connectingelement as an extruded profile, a simultaneous sealing of the connectionbetween the window pane and the folding top cover becomes possible sothat rain water cannot penetrate into the vehicle.

Preferably, PVC or TPE is used as the material for the extruded profile,since these materials are distinguished by a high tensile strength andsuitable properties in stress behavior so that the tensile forcesarising when the folding top is being closed can be absorbed well overthe profile.

In a preferred embodiment, a bonding agent such as a lacquer is appliedon the outer edge regions of the rear-window pane so that theapplication of extruded PVC or TPE by an injection method can take placedirectly afterwards. In a different, advantageous embodiment, theadhesive is applied on the outer regions of the rear-window pane and theprofile, previously high frequency welded to the material of the foldingtop, is placed onto the adhesive. The bonding agent, as well as theadhesive, enable the glass pane to be bonded reliably to the profile andensure protection against penetration of moisture.

In a preferred embodiment of the rear-window pane,

Two embodiments of the object of the invention are described in greaterdetail in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a vehicle with a convertible top;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 1 showing afirst embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1 showing asecond embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a modification of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a rear-window pane 1 in the top2 of a convertible.

As shown in FIG. 2, which is a first embodiment of the invention, abonding agent 3, such as lacquer, is applied to the edge region of therear-window pane 1 consisting of glass. By means of said bonding agent3, the rear-window pane 1 is connected with an extruded profile 4. Theprofile 4 consists of an extruded PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or TPE(thermoplastic elastomer with an increased proportion of rubber) and issprayed onto the bonding agent 3 in an injection method. In thisembodiment, the profile 4 protrudes some distance over the edge of therear-window pane 1. This region 5 of the profile is bonded by highfrequency welding 6 with the material 7 of the top of the convertible.The HF welding 6 is carried out along the edge of the window pane 1, sothat the vehicle is protected against penetrating moisture. On the otherside of the extruded profile 4, the bonding agent 3 acts as seal againstmoisture. Due to the welded seam 6, the profile 4 and thus the windowpane 1 are combined firmly into a unit with the material 7 of thefolding top. Additional seals are unnecessary.

In FIG. 3, which is a second embodiment, there is shown an adhesive 8which is applied on the outer edge of the rear-window pane 1. On theadhesive 8 applied, there is an extruded profile 9, which is morestructured than in the embodiment of FIG. 2 and which has previouslybeen HF welded to the material 7 of the folding top. The extrudedprofile 9 has a small nose 10, which lies directly against the glasspane 1 and is pushed into a roundness 11 on the material 7 of thefolding top. Both swagings represent additional measures for supportingthe tightness of the seal against the penetration of moisture betweenthe glass pane 1 and the material 7 of the folding top. As stated above,the profile 9 has previously been combined with the material 7 of thefolding top by an HF welded seam 12. In this case, the profile 9 doesnot protrude beyond the glass pane 1 and the HF welded seam 12 and theadhesive 8, which has been applied, are disposed on top of one another,whereas they are disposed next to one another in FIG. 2. In thisembodiment also, the glass pane 1 and the material 7 of the folding topare firmly connected to one another and can be separated from oneanother only by destruction.

The object of the invention is not limited to the embodiments describedand other embodiments are also possible within the scope of the claims.For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an extruded profile 4' can be providedwith a lip 14 which grips around and below the edge of the solid glasspane 1 in order to enable the rear-window pane to be held better.

For the convertible top 7, there are basically two types of materials,on the one hand, a top consisting of PVC and, on the other, oneconsisting predominantly of textiles. In the case of PVC tops, the useof high frequency (HF) welding usually is possible without any auxiliarymaterials. On the other hand, when textile tops are HF welded, a weldingagent is added which provides the necessary bond between the individualmaterials. For welding auxiliary, a "Gutakol" tape (named after themanufacturer) may be used which optically can be regarded as equivalentto a transparent film, that is, by means of the above-named weldingauxiliary, it is possible, in principle, to weld the material of any topby HF welding to itself or to the profile 4.

The injection method for applying an extruded PVC or TPE profile is onepossible method which is illustrated by the variation shown in FIG. 2.The profile 4', shown in FIG. 4, is not applied by an injection methodon the rear-window pane as it is in FIG. 2; instead, the desired profileis produced by injecting a composition, also consisting of PVC or TPE,into a mold. The profile thereupon is applied with the help of adhesiveson the rear-window pane and subsequently welded with the material of thetop.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding convertible top for a vehicle, saidfolding convertible top having an opening defined by a marginal edgeportion, a window pane of solid glass disposed in said opening, saidglass having an outer edge section, a plastic connecting elementextended between said marginal edge portion of said convertible top andsaid outer edge section of said glass, said connecting element having aU-shaped channel, said outer edge section of said glass being receivedin said U-shaped channel, securing means securing said plasticconnecting element to said marginal edge portion of said convertibletop, and affixing means affixing said plastic connecting element to saidouter edge section of said glass, whereby said glass is therebysealingly secured to said convertible top.
 2. A folding convertible topaccording to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises ahigh-frequency weld.
 3. A folding convertible top according to claim 1wherein said connecting element comprises an extruded element ofpolyvinyl chloride.
 4. A folding convertible top according to claim 1wherein said connecting element comprises an extruded element ofthermoplastic elastomer.
 5. A folding convertible top according to claim4 wherein said thermoplastic elastomer further comprises rubber.
 6. Afolding convertible top according to claim 1 wherein said affixing meanscomprises a bonding agent.
 7. A folding convertible top according toclaim 6 wherein said bonding agent is a lacquer.
 8. A foldingconvertible top for a vehicle, said folding convertible top having anopening defined by a marginal edge portion, a window pane of solid glassdisposed in said opening, said glass having an outer edge section, saidouter edge section of said glass having an upper planar surface disposedin substantially the same plane as said marginal edge portion of saidconvertible top, a plastic connecting element extended between saidmarginal edge portion of said convertible top and said outer edgesection of said glass, said connecting element having a generally flatbottom surface having one part thereof overlying said marginal edgeportion of said convertible top and another part thereof overlying saidupper planar surface of said glass, whereby said upper planar surface ofsaid glass, said marginal edge portion of said convertible top and saidflat bottom surface of said connecting element are substantiallycoplanar, securing means securing said plastic connecting element tosaid marginal edge portion of said convertible top, and affixing meansaffixing said plastic connecting element to said outer edger section ofsaid glass, whereby said glass is thereby sealingly secured to saidconvertible top.
 9. A folding convertible top according to claim 8wherein said glass has a terminating edge, said opening in saidconvertible top having a terminating edge which is spaced from saidterminating edge of said glass to define a separating spacetherebetween, said glass having an inner planar surface parallel to saidupper planar surface, said connecting element having a first portiondisposed in said space and a second portion juxtaposed to said innerplanar surface of said glass, said first and second portions and saidflat bottom surface of said connecting element defining a U-shapedconfiguration in which said outer edge section of said glass isaccommodated.